Leasehold Coops Coop Conversations

Meet Thom Armstrong, the CEO of the Co-operative Housing Federation of British Columbia in Canada. He has over 30 years of experience in the cooperative housing movement and serves as the CEO for COHO Management Services Society and the Community Land Trust group of societies. Furthermore, he serves as the chair of the board of Encasa Financial Inc., which oversees an investment fund of more than $500 million in assets for the social housing sector in Canada.
Blase Lambert is with us as well, serving as Treasurer on the Board of Cooperative Housing International. He holds the position of CEO at the Confederation of Co-operative Housing, which is the UK's representative organization for cooperative housing. Furthermore, he sits on the Board of the Co-operative Housing Finance Society and is a founding member of Community Led Homes. Lastly, he serves as Treasurer of Leicester Vaughan College.
Blase and Thom delve into the advantages and disadvantages of housing cooperatives on leased land in this episode. They explore the challenges faced by coops striving to preserve their community against the demand of cities to accommodate more residents on the same land. Additionally, they discuss the community land trust model, which serves as a catalyst for housing development and enables collaboration with local governments to lease land for extended periods and construct much needed affordable homes.